AM – Aftermarket

Molding rubber – A two-part compound comprised of the rubber, usually silicone, and a hardening agent

Parting agent – A thin lubricant, sprayed on or brushed, that keeps things from sticking

PE – Photo-etched

Pot life – How long a mixed compound can be worked before it starts to set up and cure and varies from compound to compound

Resin – Essentially a task-specific epoxy. Resins come in enough varieties to require a separate, in depth, article to cover them all (presently I’m using a urethane resin). Resin is what gets poured into a mold to create multiple and identical pieces

Sprue – That’s the “tree” that kit parts are attached to. What it really is is a channel that brings the molten plastic into the hollow cavity that, once filled, becomes the part. Sprue is really handy stuff! Heating it (GENTLY) over a candle allows it to be stretched, and if you shape the sprue first (like for a bolt head you need), it retains that shape when it’s stretched.